As pointed out in Edwards I, it is standard practice with respect to mating connectors to provide means which position the connector halves so that the terminals therein are aligned for a proper mating engagement. It is common to provide pins, posts, and projections in one half made to fit within complementary apertures in the other half; both integrally molded with respect to the housings of the connector halves, or added as hardware. One problem associated with interconnecting of connector halves arises when the halves are of different suppliers and are not complementary. In such instances it is necessary to provide an adapter that alters one or both of the connector halves so as to permit interconnection. A particular instance of such problem involves the replacement, within a computer bulkhead, of a circuit board-mounted transceiver of one manufacturer with a circuit board-mounted transceiver of another manufacturer. In such instance the replacement board may be characterized by receiver and transmitter ports of alignment differing from the alignment of the ports of the transceiver board which has been replaced. Precise connection between the transceiver ports with a connector through the backplane of the computer bulkhead may be difficult if, indeed, connection may be made at all. Edwards I addresses the problem of the differing fit of circuit boards, and generally the problem of precise fit between connector halves, by providing a connector half with a latching beam mechanism feature for positioning, aligning and guiding mating connector halves and for providing improved retention between the resulting, mated halves. Edwards I particularly addresses the joining of light transmitting fiber cables through a cover or panel front to a transmitter and/or receiver. The Edwards I connector is characterized by a latching beam mechanism that provides both an improved aligning feature during intermating and improved retention while interconnected. The connector comprises a plug connector half and a clip connector half. The plug connector half comprises a plug having an axially extending bore for receiving an optical fiber, and a transceiver adapter adapted to axially receive the plug through the cover. The transceiver adapter extends axially for aligning the plug forward relative to the transmitter and/or receiver device. The transceiver adapter is a two-part structure comprising a transceiver shroud and a latching beam mechanism. The mechanism comprises a main body straddling the shroud, and secured thereto, and having latching beams extending therefrom. Each latching beam is an elongated structural member which is secured at one end to the main body of the mechanism and which is freely flexible at the forward opposite end. Each beam has a forward beveled face and port. The Edwards I connector further comprises a clip connector half attached to and integral with the transmitter/receiver device and having apertures therein beveled to receive the latching beams.
During interconnection, connector halves must approach one another within the connection envelope which is the area through which each half must pass in approaching so as to accomplish fit of one half to the other. The envelope may be enlarged to accommodate a greater area of misalignment by the utilization of certain mechanisms such as the complementary beveled latching beams and aperture surfaces of the clip of Edwards I, wherein the beveled surfaces permit the guiding of the beam heads from a misaligned juxtaposition to an entry into the corresponding accepting apertures of the clip connector half.
The present invention relates to an alignment feature for connector halves which feature may be used in conjunction with the aligning pins of the forward mating face of a transceiver adapter as taught by Briggs et al. (14958), or with the beveled latching beam feature disclosed and claimed by Edwards I or in conjunction with any connector for mating a circuit board with transmitter and/or receiver to a plug connector. The present invention is particularly applicable in instances where the misalignment of a mating board is such that the beveled faces of the aligning pins or latch beams are unable to come into contact with complementary beveled faces of the apertures of the clip connector half because they are outside of the connection envelope.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector with a floating alignment feature that permits interconnection between connector halves of a variety of types. It is particularly an object of the present invention to provide an improved connection between a board mounted transmitter and/or receiver and a shrouded plug connector, as for example, a connection between a Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) and a connector of the Fixed Shroud Duplex (FSD) type.